Shelton passed on offer to buy River Road tract years ago

SHELTON  Aldermanic president John F. Anglace Jr. R-3 said Friday the city had an opportunity to purchase a 9.3-acre parcel at 550 River Road before Mayor Mark A. Lauretti bought it December.

Patricia Villers

Published
12:00 am EST, Saturday, March 13, 2004

Lauretti paid $325,000 on Dec. 31, 2003 for the site and he plans to build an upscale catering facility there.

According to documents Anglace provided to the New Haven Register, the land was offered to the city. He said the Conservation Commission and Open Space Committee looked into purchasing it several years ago.

Resident William Bures, head of Citizens United in Shelton, said overdevelopment is hurting both downtown Shelton and south Shelton. He said the land should belong to the city.

Laurettis purchase was also criticized by Jonathan Zuckerman, owner of Pinecrest Country Club, a catering and banquet facility at 745 River Road. He said the mayor had a duty to disclose information about the purchase.

Alderman John Finn, D-1, said residents want to know how Lauretti had prior knowledge of the land sale and how he was able to buy it for approximately $30,000 an acre, which he termed "a sweetheart deal."

Anglace said it wasnt a sweetheart deal, saying Lauretti paid just $768 less an acre than the listed price of $35,714 an acre, just 2.2 percent less than the asking price.

Finn said the mayor is the citys economic development official and has knowledge "before anybody else does" of land that is available. Finn said the city should have had "first right of refusal." Finn said he sees the land as an "ideal site" for swimming, picnicking and for a playground.

Lauretti said some people "want to make something out of this." He said the land purchase was a legal business transaction.

"The property has been sitting there since the beginning of time," he said. "The reason I bought it was that it was a good deal, Im not denying that. I didnt set the listing price, the company (Emhart) did."

The parcel, dubbed Housatonic Way, is left over from land that Emhart Corp. owned after it sold an adjacent parcel to Latex Foam Co. in late 2001. Latex Foam purchased the property and buildings after a fire leveled its Ansonia plant.

Anglace said the Conservation Commission decided not to recommend the city buy the land. The decision said, "The Conservation Commission did talk about the 14 acres at 550 River Road when it was brought to our attention several years ago.

At that time we did not know the price of the land, but we did know it was contaminated. When we learned this, we were not interested, so we did not pursue the purchase."

"As is many times the case, the Conservation Commission reviews many possible properties to acquire, but they do not bring all such properties to the Board of Aldermen unless they are recommending action to purchase or acquire by eminent domain," Anglace said.

Anglace said the aldermen did not dispute any of the facts he presented at Wednesdays meeting.

He said "many partisan politicians in the audience rendered political statements versus responding to the facts as presented." Anglace provided a chronology of events dating back to Sept. 27, 2000. He said the full 29-acre site and buildings originally listed for $6.78 million, but were reduced to $4 million when it was re-listed May 30, 2001.

On Oct.5, 2001, the chronology continued, Latex Foam went to Planning & Zoning for Site Plan approval. Since it was in a designated industrial zone the application was considered as a "matter of right."

On Oct. 9, 2001, Planning & Zoning approved the site plan and, in accordance with regulations, approved a split of the property with about 14 acres separated from the building and parking lot.

On Dec. 12, 2001, the 14 acres were listed for $500,000.

On Dec. 31, 2001 Latex Foam purchased the building and parking lot from Emhart for $3.5 million.

On Jan. 30, 2002, Lauretti offered $310,000 for the 14 acres and on Feb. 20, 2002 Emhart counter-offered $325,000 for the 14 acres.